It was a physical brand of hockey Saturday night at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee as the L/A Fighting Spirit took on the New England Stars.
The teams combined for 30 minor penalties, four double minors, four majors, two game misconducts and three 10-minute misconducts. In the stat category that counts, though, the Stars handed the Fighting Spirit a 3-1 loss.
It’s the Fighting Spirit’s first loss of the season. They are now 4-1.
The Fighting Spirit dug a hole for themselves in the first period when leading scorer Dylan Vrees racked up a double-minor and a game misconduct for checking from behind at the 7:13 mark. L/A was also given a bench minor for abusing the officials.
Seven minutes later, the Stars’ Zach Cormier was also called for a double-minor and a game misconduct for checking from behind.
In the second period, New England received a bench minor for abusing the officials with 7:57 remaining in the stanza.
As for action in between whistles, Brandon Hammner scored his fourth of the season on the power play to give the Stars the 1-0 with 9:03 remaining in the first period. John Krapian was credited with the lone assist.
The Fighting Spirit responded a minute later on the man advantage as Kyle Secor scored his second of the season from JP Chauvin and Walker Hamilton.
L/A was 1-for-11 on the power play, while the Stars were 2-for-12.
In the second period, it looked like the teams were going to the dressing room still tied at one goal apiece. With 47 seconds remaining in the period, though, Aidan Conlon notched his third goal of the year to give the Stars a 2-1 lead.
The Stars outshot the Fighting Spirit 9-2 in the middle stanza.
Derek Lovejoy stretched the Stars’ lead to 3-1 midway through the third period.
Zack Barry made 24 saves in the losing effort, while Sage Broda made 19 saves for his second win of the season.
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